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Party's Double-Voter Complaint Rejected

The Constitutional Council on Thursday upheld the denial of
a complaint by the Human Rights Party over alleged voting-list irregularities
throughout Cambodia
in July's election.

The Human Rights Party had claimed in its complaint to the
National Election Committee that 15,255 polling stations were found with registries containing voter names twice.

The double names could have led to ineligible voting, the
party said in its complaint.

The NEC rejected the complaint, and that decision was
maintained by the Council.

Thursday's hearing was the final decision of the
Constitutional Council over election complaints that were filed by the Sam
Rainsy and Human Rights parties.

Nhiek Vannara, deputy secretary-general of the Human Rights
Party and the legal representative in the case, told reporters Thursday the
Council's decision was "very unjust for the Cambodian voters and the Human
Rights Party."

"We cannot accept the result of the decision," he
said. "But we have no place to continue to complain. We are very, very
sorry for the Constitutional Council members, in this unjust decision, but we
hope that we will stand up for justice for the next election."

Nhiek Vannara called the decision "artificial."

He told the hearing the double names could have led to an
estimated 1 million voting irregularities.

NEC legal representative Em Sophath said during the hearing
the denial of the HRP complaint was "very legal and fair."

"The Human Rights Party complaint did not have enough
evidence to support [it]," Em Sophath said.